Brace for leaf-springs.



0. W. HAWKINS.

BRACE FOR LEAF SPRINGS.

APPLICATION r1150 APR. 2. 191a.

Patented Feb. 11, 1919.

r54: mmms PEYERS ca, PMDTD-LIYNO wAsnmvammv A L cHAnLns HAWKINS, orZEUS, VIRGINIA.

BRACE FOR LEAF-SPRINGS.

Application filed April 2, 1918.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that 1, CHARLES IV. IIAWKINS. acitizen of the United States, residing at Zeus, in the county of Madisonand State of Virginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Braces for Leaf- Springs; and I do hereby declare the following to bea full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as willenable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and usethe same.

This invention relates to a brace particularly designed for use inconnection with leaf or laminated vehicle springs and the primary objectof the invention is to provide a bracing member constructed of springsteel, which is positioned beneath the lowermost leaf of the vehiclespring and which plate has dowinwardly extending flanges formed alongits side edges for portions of the length thereof to prevent the saidplate from bein bent further than in a substantially straight line, andconsequently prevents the bending of the leaves of the spring furtherthan in a substantially straight line, thereby eliminating much of theliability of breaking of the spring.

WVith the foregoing and other objects in view this invention consists insuch novel features of construction, combination and arrangement ofparts as will be hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in theaccompanying drawings and claimed.

In describing the invention in detail, reference will be had to theaccompanying drawings wherein like characters designate like andcorresponding parts throughout the several views and in which:

Figure 1 is a front view of a vehicle spring showing the improved braceapplied thereto,

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section through the spring and the brace,

Fig. 3 is a transverse section through the spring and brace taken on theline 33 of Fig. 2, and

Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view of the brace.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, 1 designates the leaf orlaminated spring which is of the ordinary construction used on varioustypes of motor vehicles and particularly on Ford automobiles, for whichsprings the invention was primarily designed for use.

The improved brace, which is generally indicated by the numeral 3, isformed of a Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 11, 1919.

Serial No. 226,272.

piece of flat spring steel, and it is bowed so that its inner surfacewill fit snugly against the lower surface of the lowermost leaf 2 of thespring 1. Thebrace 3 is held beneath and in engagement with the undersurface of the leaf 2 by the clip structure lO which is the ordinaryyoke or clip structure employed for connecting the spring 1 to thevehicle body. In cases where the leaf 2 0f the spring is provided withdownwardly extending bulged portions 2, the brace 3 is provided withdepressions 4 which are adapted to receive the downwardly projectingbulges 2* of the leaf 2 and the bulges 2 fitting in the depressions awill have a tendency to prevent creeping movement of the plate 3 alongthe under surface of the leaf 2.

The plate 3 is provided with downwardly extending flanges 5 formed alongits side edges and terminating short of each'end of the plate as clearlyshown in the drawings. The flanges 5 extend downwardly at right anglesto the plate or brace 3 and their ends preferably engage the U-shapedbulge 4 of the clip structure 10 which further prevents accidentalendwise movement of the brace 3 with respect to the spring 1. Theflanges 5 will permit the brace 3 to be practically moved into astraight line, and will consequently permit the leaves of the spring 1to be moved correspondingly but these flanges acting as stout braces andresisting any tendency of being bent outwardly will prevent the plate 3from being bent clownwardly beyond a straight line and will also preventthe leaves of the spring 1 from being bent below a straight line,thereby materially eliminating the liability of breakage of the spring1.

In reducing the invention to practice, certain minor features ofconstruction, combination and arrangement of parts may necessitatealterations to which the applicant is entitled provided such alterationsare comprehended within the scope of what is claimed.

What is claimed is:

1. A brace for leaf springs comprising a plate constructed of fiatresilient spring steel of slightly arcuate shape so as to snugly fit theunder surface of the lowermost leaf of the leaf spring, and possessingtransverse end edges lying substantially in the plane of the plate, andsubstantially rectangular flanges extending longitudinally of saidbrace.

2. A brace for leaf springs comprising a plate constructed of flatspring steel and bowed so as to snugly fit the under surface of thelowermost leaf of the leaf spring and having transverse end edges lyingsubstantially in the plane of the plate, and straight substantiallyrectangular flanges extending along the longitudinal edges andterminating at a distance from either straight end of said plate. 7

3. A brace as specified in claim 2. and possessing additionallydepressions in said plate adapted to receive downwardly extending bulgedparts of the lowermost leaf.

4. A brace for leaf springs comprising a plate constructed of fiatspring steel and bowed so as to snugly fit the under surface Copies ofthis patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing theCommissioner of Patents,

of the lowermost leaf of the leaf spring and having transverse end edgeslying substantially in the plane of the plate, straight substantiallyrectangular flanges, straight edged throughout and extending along thelongitudinal edges of the brace and terminating at a distance fromeither end of said plate, and leaf spring retaining clips or staples inengagement with saidflanges at the ends of the rectangular flanges.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES WV. HAVVKINSL Vitnesses H. S. T OMAS, W. R. GLoRn.

Washington, D. G.

